


Surface Life (Short Stories)

by Kiryienka



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Mild Blood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2018-06-07 21:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6825784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiryienka/pseuds/Kiryienka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short stories. Most will be post-pacifist - maybe a few before - plus Asriel was saved because screw the rules. I'll try and either stay chronological, or some stories won't really matter when they're set.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sleepless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Setting: Post-Pacifist, on the Surface.  
> Around 6 years have passed since the barrier was broken.  
> Headcanon ages for Frisk and Asriel at this point are 17 and 18 respectively (let's not get into the weirdness with resets and Flowey and whatever other technicalities there are).  
> Hedcanon gender for Frisk is female... I'm sorry. *sits in corner and watches hate comments flow in*

It had been years since we last visited the underground. It was weird for me to see it again that time. It was the place I grew up, the place I loved as home, yet my last strong memories there were so horrible. My time growing up was much more hazy now, and in its place were the memories of my time as a flower. Memories of thousands of resets. Memories of helpfulness and memories of murder. Many nights I could hardly get a wink of sleep thanks to the nightmares generated from these memories.

As far as we may have ever known, Frisk was the only other person in our lifetime that experienced that. The burden of determination. But it was different for her. She made mistakes on their way through the Underground, and only used their power to fix them. After our encounter, I was able to break the barrier. The journey through the Underground was finished. She saved everyone. She got her happy ending.

My sleepless nights were always the result of the resets, so when Frisk started having a pattern of night terrors themselves, I could not figure out why, until as far as 6 years after the barrier was broken. The two of us still lived with my mother and father, who had eventually got back to tolerating each other again. It was one night when I was just as restless as ever that I started to hear Frisk making distressed noises from their room.

As I wasn't going to be falling asleep anytime soon, I wandered over to her room through the thick darkness. As I turned on a dim lamp in the corner of the room, I realised this was more than a simple dream. She was curled up in a fetal position, fists clenched and teeth gritted as she mumbled something incomprehensible. She winced as though something had physically hurt her. “Frisk, are you okay?” I called out, to no avail. I strode over and rested my hand on her shoulder, but it didn't seem to do anything either.

She were struggling more now. Her breathing was erratic, her heart rate was up and the whimpering was more audible now. “Frisk! Wake up!” It wasn't doing anything so far, but I kept trying anyway. A small amount of blood started to leaver her mouth now. Something was seriously wrong. “Mom! Dad!” I screamed, hoping it would be loud enough to wake them. It seemed the commotion was already loud enough to alert them as they entered the room within seconds.

“What is the matter As-” Toriel was cut off by Frisk's apparent agony. “Frisk! What is wrong with her?”

“I don't know, we just... call Sans, tell him to get Frisk to the hospital.” Bruises were appearing on her body now and more blood escaped her lips, as well as a little now staining her shirt. I heard Toriel make the call, but she was audibly already in tears. I tried to keep my composure, but the fact that we couldn't do anything about what was happening threatened to make me lose it. Sans showed up almost immediately, without any jokes this time. We were all at the hospital in a few minutes thanks to him. We were forced to wait outside as Frisk was eventually taken to the emergency room.

Asgore and – much later – Toriel inevitably fell asleep at some point in the hall, but I stayed up the whole night. The wait was unbearable, worsened by the lack of information given to us. At about six in the morning, I was finally called in to see Frisk in recovery. Before I went through the door, the doctor took me aside to detail what he could.

“What's your name, son?” I told him it was Asriel. “Okay, Asriel. Now, I'm not the expert here on souls, that doctor is on leave today, but from what we understand, there is something – think of it like a parasite – which attacked Frisk's soul last night.” The look of surprise on my face must have been more visible than I thought as he continued. “I know that souls are supposed to protect the physical body during conflict, so I am not entirely sure how the attack translated to physical damage, but hopefully we can have some answers by tomorrow in tha-”

I cut him off. “Is she okay?” He seemed a pit perturbed that I interrupted him, but shortly complied.

“She... has not had a good time of it. Along with about a litre of lost blood, she had 2 heart attacks last night – fortunately without any incurring brain or nerve damage. She is still very exhausted and disoriented, so take your time. Go on in now.”

Upon opening the door, I immediately heard movement on the other side. As I came round the door and faced Frisk eye to eye, I felt a shiver down my spine. She had bandages all over, including one on her cheek. She looked a bit pale as well, and was visibly tired. “Hey, Asriel,” she said, speaking in a slower, more slurred way.

I tried to approach the bed, but fell to my knees at the bedside. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. “Frisk, I was so worried... what happened? How... what...”

“Shh, Asriel. Please don't cry, I'm fine now.”

“Fine? You... we almost lost you, Frisk.” My face was buried into the bed beside her now. This night had stressed me more than I let on.

“I know...” She leaned over and cradled my head. She shouldn't have been moving, but I wasn't going to stop her. “It was... Chara. We fought, while I was asleep. I guess she did a number on me, huh.” I don't know if she was trying to lighten the mood, but I didn't respond. “... Don't worry. Alphys said that she and Mikhail would get back in today and run some tests. I'll... we'll get through this.” Finally, Frisk was safe for now, and as the worry of the previous night slowly subsided, I found myself falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll get deeper into the topic raised in this part soon.
> 
> What other story ideas would you like to see done in this series? Leave a comment and tell me. I already have a general idea what I'm gonna do for the next few, but if you suggest something I like, you could see it in a future update.
> 
> And if you reached this point, thanks for tolera- I mean reading!


	2. Blink (Sleepless Pt 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A direct continuation of Sleepless, taking place just a couple weeks after.

It's been two weeks since that sleeping incident. I stayed in hospital for a few days to recover. On the second day Alphys and Mikhail – er, 'Dr. Bikkazakova', god I hated that name; he was the best human expert on souls at the time – met with me to discuss what happened, but I didn't remember many of the details. They took a sample of my determination and said they'd try to have something conclusive in about a month. Not what I wanted to hear, frankly. I wanted this to be done as soon as possible. What scared me most was that I knew this wasn't really Chara, not my Chara anyway.

I'd considered talking about it, but with whom? This probably wasn't a good topic for the Dreemurrs, especially Asriel who seemed most troubled by what was going on, even more than me. Alphys and Mikhail already knew what actually happened, but they weren't going to 'talk' with me about it. Even if they did, it probably wouldn't be helpful. Sans? I really didn't want his advice right then. I'm not sure how well he'd have responded to it either, considering his memory of the resets. We had talked about those before, but this was a scenario that would trouble him in particular. Don't get me wrong, I had human friends too (though not as many as monsters), but they'd never understand something like this.

So I guessed I was just going to stay alone to my thoughts another day. I was supposed to stay in bed until I recovered my strength more, but I hated laying around doing nothing, so I often got up to walk around and relax early in the mornings. I wasn't sleeping much, and couldn't help waking up at odd times anyway. This morning was a bit later than normal, as I saw the sun rising outside my window. Still not that early, and I could expect the others in the house to still be asleep for around another hour. As I crept out of my room, however, I noticed that Asriel's door was ajar. Glancing in confirmed my suspicion that the room was empty.

I made my way outside, to sit on the step of the porch I usually used on these such mornings, and sure enough Asriel was already there doing some thinking of his own. He turned as I opened the door, first looking surprised, but soon greeting me with a warm smile. “Oh, good morning Frisk. You're up and about now? How does everything feel?” Dammit, I kept repeating in my head that I didn't want to talk about this with him, but I found myself slowly moving to sit beside him almost against my control.

“Morning, Asriel. And I'm feeling fine, thanks.” That was a lie, but he didn't have to know that. “So, uh, whatcha doin' out here?”

He turned his gaze away from me now, almost as if he could tell I was lying, but not protesting anyway. “I don't know, I just needed a peaceful moment to think, you know? And besides, the sunrise is always so beautiful.” The house faced directly east, so I knew what he meant. I had seen plenty of them in the past week or so anyway.

“Yeah, I get it. It really helps clear the mind.” I tried keeping a false smile for this time, but clearly the act wasn't holding up, as I noticed when Asriel's facial expression changed to one of worry after glancing at me again. Soon, however, he perked up his head again.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Uh, just wait here a second, Frisk. I'll be two ticks.” Two ticks, how adorable. Who says things like that? It was enough to elicit a genuine smile from me, no matter how small, and Asriel's face lit up in satisfaction as he went back into the house. After about two minutes or so he brought out a tray and placed it on the porch table. I got up and made my way over, seeing the teapot with two mugs, along with sugar and milk. “I made some golden flower tea a little earlier, it was just cooling down a bit. Like some?” Despite the fact that I still had an aversion to the golden flowers Asgore and Asriel insisted on growing in the garden out back, I decided to indulge this one time.

I had never fully appreciated the taste of the tea until that day, as if it suddenly clicked. “My compliments to the gardener, brewer, et al.” My contentment must have been visible on my face, as Asriel was turning slightly red.

“Alright, don't oversell it now. I've never really been as good at this as dad. His will always taste the best.” We both settled in for a bit before I felt like breaking the silence. He knew what was on my mind, but...

“Hey, Az, is something bothering you?” Way to make things awkward, Frisk. “I mean, you just seem a little preoccupied is all. I don't mean to pry or anyth-”

“No, of course, it's fine Frisk. I came out to think for a reason anyway.” He took another sip of his tea, one that seemed to me to take ages, before continuing. “Well, it's just... these past few weeks, gosh, I've been a nervous wreck.” That much was clear to me, but I still didn't think this was the whole story. “I could hardly even sleep before you got home. I was constantly worrying something else would happen. I had a lot of dreams where we'd be together doing something or another, and I'd blink and you'd be... gone. I must've blown up the hospital's switchboard calling about you...” He paused again, this time involuntarily. “Ah, look at me. I'm tearing up and you're right here safe and sound.”

I felt like a golf ball was in my throat, unable to give a response and only continued to listen. That still wasn't it; was this going where I thought it was? “So, Frisk, I guess I'm trying to say, I... I... really care about you. We all do, and we're just happy to have you back.” He was clearly disappointed. I hadn't even responded yet and he was already eager to sweep it under the rug. “Sorry, I know you probably came out here to be alone, so I'll just, uh, head back inside...”

“Wait,” I said, grabbing his arm to indicate for him to stop, then standing up to face him. “Please, I... never mind. Thank you.” I would have asked him, but clearly I was more afraid than I thought he was. Than I **thought** he was. After a few seconds, it seemed he couldn't stand it anymore. I had no time to prepare, not even to breathe, but the gap between our lips was closed. I somewhat expected it, and yet it was still a shock to me. A million thoughts raced through my head at once as the kiss seemed to continue for eternity. Soon I just closed my eyes and let it happen. It was awkward, it was sloppy, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

It lasted 'for eternity', but once it stopped it seemed like not even a second had passed. Asriel was completely frozen, probably stunned that the action he just performed was his own doing. Yep, beet red. Somehow even despite the fur, too. I couldn't help but turn a shade of red as well. “Oh my gosh, I'm... so sorry, I don't know what came over me-”

“No, don't apologize. I'm happy you did that.” He seemed relieved at that, that he hadn't messed up catastrophically I suppose. “I've... had feelings for you for a while now...”

Asriel's reaction was less extreme now, and he just smiled. “I have too... probably for longer.”

I wish he would have said something sooner. “Really? How long?”

His smile turned into a bit of a smirk now. “That depends. How long ago did we come to the Surface?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a third and final part to Sleepless (though that won't be the next story released, I gotta have some fluff, I am getting swol from carrying my sins on my back) where we will learn something from Alphys and Mickey McHugename, and maybe have a bit of character development for the latter.
> 
> As always, leave a comment! I'm open to criticism - this is my first work in a couple years after all - as well as any ideas you think might make for good stories here.


	3. The Dreemurrs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connected to Sleepless and Blink, taking place a few years after. Frisk and Asriel are 19 and 20.
> 
> I should probably preface now the situation with the ambassador position. Frisk took the job for the first year or so, struggling to cope with the work. Toriel became a member of the integration council formed by Frisk, as well as the city council over time, and when Frisk stepped down from the position (which she shouldn't have taken anyway, she was like 12 at most, wtf) Toriel was voted in with a sizeable majority. Asriel eventually moved into the position two years prior to this story. So Asriel is the ambassador at this point, so you don't get confused reading.

Sundays were good days for me. Sure, it somewhat had to do with not having to go down to City Hall, or do any other work for that matter, but also it was the day, on most occasions, that my father and I would do yard work. It seemed a boring task most of the time, but just spending time with him was enough to put me at peace, and he felt the same way, if not more.

Once I reached the golden flowers, I hesitated a bit, but continued working normally. We knew Frisk had a problem with those flowers, but Asgore's attachment to them would not be broken easily. Besides that, it became sort of a therapeutic task for me, helping me to come to terms with my time as Flowey, and I eventually developed a liking to the flowers as well. Asgore even taught me how to make tea with them, the taste of which I preferred to most teas. Frisk would rarely ever try the tea, though...

“Asriel? Son?” I jolted back to reality, realising I poured all the water out of the can into one spot on the flowerbed. I wasn't sure exactly how long I lost focus, thinking about that morning, but it was long enough to, maybe not concern, but surprise Asgore at least. “Is everything alright?”

“Oh, um, yes, sorry about that. I just got distracted, let me go fill the can again.” I tried to pull myself together from embarrassment, but Asgore's knowing look meant it didn't work.

“Something's on your mind, no? Want to talk about it?” No. No, I really didn't. But by the time I looked in his eyes, he already new what the trouble was anyway, at least the basics of it. I sighed in concession, but proceeded cautiously; maybe he didn't know quite as much as I thought he did, so I wouldn't reveal much unless that wasn't the case.

“Okay... so, let's say there's this... girl-”

Asgore looked smug now, as expected, but I was relieved a bit to hear his next question. “Ah, really? And who might that be? If you're comfortable sharing, that is.”

I was looking aside, finding it difficult for some reason to make eye contact, but tried not to delay my responses. “I... don't want to say now, but you know them at least.” Asgore seemed to expect that response as well, though his expression was more subdued this time.

“So, if I had to guess, you have feelings for someone, but you don't think I would approve?” He hit the nail on the head. This was my concern for those past few days – no, for the past few years. I never really saw Frisk as a 'sibling', per say, and apparently the sentiment was shared by her, but what about my parents? Were we siblings in their eyes?

“Yes,” was all I could put forth. How was I supposed to word my thoughts on this? I was too afraid that my skepticism would end up being founded, that I'd end up being denied, that I didn't even want to mention it.

Asgore's face seemed a bit more sad, but he still smiled brightly at me. “Son, if I may be so bold, your mother and I have raised you well. I trust your judgment on the matter, and eventually, if you find you truly love them, do not let Tori or I stand in your way, no matter who they are.” His expression shifted slightly, almost to a more knowing smile, at that last phrase. I didn't think much of it at the time.

  


“Frisk, Asriel, could you come here, please?” Asgore's voice echoed through the house. My first thought was that we were in trouble for something, of course, but the tone in his voice didn't indicate as much. But aside from something of that nature, we rarely had these sort of 'family meetings', so I was still skeptical as I rushed through the house. Asgore, Toriel and Asriel were all at the dining table, the latter only just sitting down as I came in. Asgore definitely noticed my concern. “Don't worry, Frisk, nobody's in trouble!” he said, barely stifling a chuckle. “Please, have a seat.”

I became just a bit more nervous now, but seeing Asriel remaining relatively calm, I settled down a bit as well. “So... what's up?”

Toriel finally cut the tension, for me at least. “We just wanted to celebrate a wonderful step by Mr Ambassador here. Well, maybe not directly, but he has had a big influence as always. A number of important integration laws were passed over the past week by the city council.” My heart started beating again. Okay, just politics, no big deal. Asriel also seemed more relieved that it wasn't anything more serious.

I didn't notice when Asgore left but he returned around now and brought out a fresh pie and some dishes to share it out. Something still wasn't being said, and I wasn't comfortable with it, but I stuck to the topic at hand. “So, what were some of these laws?”

Asgore chimed in now. “Mostly simple things and updates to old laws – the equalization of taxes a pretty big one. There were about 10 laws passed, most of them nuances but still very important.”

Asriel seemed confused now. “Most of them?” He would have written the proposals, or would have at least approved them, so it seemed he expected them all to be of that nature. Toriel never stopped smiling as she responded.

“Well, Asriel, there was one proposal that we made directly to the council. There was some contention, but it was accepted by most and passed.” Asriel moved his mouth slightly, but clearly he was unable to come up with the words.

“What was the proposal?” I asked, finding the real reason for this discussion.

Asgore almost answered then and there, but he was shot a stern look by his wife. She then turned back towards us. “Frisk, do you know why we never officially adopted you?” Well shit, that was a bombshell. I wasn't expecting a hard-hitting question like that today, but I was also curious as I had thought up to that point that I knew the answer.

“Maybe... was it not legal until now? Is that the proposal you made, for inter-species families?” I was a little surprised at this, even dismayed, and as I glanced over, I saw Asriel had the same expression, despite his best efforts to hide it. But Toriel continued to smile away as Asgore clarified.

“No, Frisk. Laws for adoptions such as that were passed about two years ago, when Tori was still in office.”

Toriel was eager to continue, but tried to contain herself. “When we escaped, I had at first wanted to adopt you, but it was illegal at the time. I pushed for those laws to be passed – and saw it through in the end – but things changed when you went back to the Underground after only a few months with Dr Alphys. I remember it so clearly, you refused to tell me what you were going to do, only to wait for a surprise. I could hardly believe that surprise would be my son.” She spared an affectionate gaze towards Asriel, who returned the favour sheepishly. “As the two of you grew up, I realised that I couldn't adopt you. I, well we, realised that-”

“You two were in love.” Asgore was practically rolling his eyes at Toriel's delays. “Or, at least infatuated at that point, but clearly things continued to develop.”

I was bright red now. I glanced over once more, and sure enough Asriel almost turned the same shade straight through his fur, but you could tell by his mouth that he was blushing. I was surprised, embarrassed even, but I was also happy that I could finally relieve my apprehension. “... A-and you're okay... with this?” Asriel stammered.

“Of course we are,” Toriel replied calmly, still glaring at her husband ever so slightly for his severe lack of tact. “We both completely support you.”

“... Thank you,” I replied softly. I could hardly believe my ears. I was almost ashamed that we had tried to 'hide' it for so long after that one morning, only to find out that they already knew. Asriel was looking at me, smiling softly, and I returned it until he abruptly turned.

“Wait, then what was it you passed?” he asked. It did seem they were making a lot of commotion about it, but I figured it must have been related to the discussion which had just taken place.

“Well,” Asgore explained, “It was a set of different laws, to govern inter-species marriages.” If we weren't sure before, we new they were serious now, and we continued to progress into further shades of red. He paused to take in our reaction before continuing. “About many different things, too; the legality of the marriage, any children that may result, the-”

“Children?” Asriel thought aloud. He though the same thing I did.

“Is that even possible?” I added, completing his thought.

Asgore seemed deep in thought. “At first, we thought not, but we had to write it in, when both Alphys and Dr Bikkazakova confirmed that... it theoretically was possible.”

I started to tear up a bit as I took in all this news. As Asriel came over to me and embraced me, I let my tears run. They were happy tears, tears of relief. I could feel a few drops of water hit my back as Asriel sniffled himself. Asgore and Toriel did not take long to come around the table and join the hug. After about a minute, Toriel released her hold, and putting on a false stern face, added, “All that being said, you have to move out now.” We all laughed and enjoyed the butterscotch-cinnamon pie, Asriel and I unable to stop looking at each other.

I wish I could say everything stayed this happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another one. Thanks for all these reads, I didn't expect this to get any attention at all, so thanks a bunch! As always, I am open to both suggestions and criticisms, whatever boats your float.
> 
> This one will also be three parts, and I just introduced the potential for marriage, so should you expect more fluff? Read the last line and I think you'll know the answer to that, for this trio of stories at least. Suffice to say, I may need to update the warnings on this soon.


	4. Aftermath (The Dreemurrs Pt 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added the warning of 'Graphic Depictions of Violence'. I realise this entry in particular isn't too bad in that department, but we will find ourselves closer to the limits of comfort more than once in the future.

“So, Mr Ambassador, what exactly are the laws being officially enacted today?” It wasn't my choice to hold this press conference, but the mayor decided, considering the large amount of reforms, that it was a good idea. My family sat to the side of the stage, along with Sans and Undyne, so they helped me relax a little. Alphys, Papyrus and others couldn't show up for various reasons.

“Well, most of what I proposed were reforms to existing laws, such as employment distribution and citizenship. The two big additions are tax equality and inter-species marriage, being put forward by Mr. Nico Mortensen and Mrs Toriel Dreemurr respectively.” Nico was my assistant, and very forward thinking as far as the human members of the integration council go.

Another reporter right up at the front pressed, “Mr Ambassador, we have seen many examples of the need for tax equality, so what is the basis for inter-species marriage?” The question annoyed me a bit, but I couldn't deny that it was fair, the topic hadn't been talked about terribly frequently in the previous months.

“ After about a month of study, we found many cases of human-monster relations and some cases of co-habitation and de facto marriages. More people also came forward on their own after the initial proposal, and the complete statistics can be found on the council's website.” After all the initial greetings and basic questions, those were the only two serious questions raised. I waited for a moment, asking for any more questions. “If there are no more for me, I will leave the podium for Mr Mortensen...”

Bang.

All of a sudden I found myself on the ground, my chest in all-consuming pain and every muscle tensed. I looked down and saw the red on my shirt before immediately looking away. If you can call it looking, I was hardly staying conscious.

Bang. Bang. Bang. I didn't see where they came from, or where they went, but the panic in the room increased even more now, so I new it couldn't be good. I tried desperately to get a glimpse of my family, but I couldn't keep myself awake any longer. The last thing I felt before slipping unconscious was the paramedics putting me on a stretcher, shouting, panicking.  
I woke up in a hospital room, at a completely different time of day. My headache was terrible, but my chest felt worse, definitely some broken bones in there. But what happened? I was just shot... randomly? And there were three other shots. Three... “Where is everybody? How long have I been out?” I frantically tried to get out of the bed, but the pain just wouldn't allow it. Finally a doctor stepped in, hearing the commotion.

  


“Hey, hey, take it easy now, Mr Ambassador. You need to calm down, you don't want to pop your stitches-”

“Where is my family?” I cut her off with a ferocity in my voice I'd never heard myself produce before.

“Your family is safe. They were admitted as well, but are recovering just fine. Now, please calm down so I can update you on what happened.” I had hoped a vain hope that the three other shots weren't for them, but I was relieved to know they were at least safe for now, but I still worried a great deal as I told her to continue. “You four were shot at in an assassination attempt – one that was pathetic since you all are fine now.” Her attempt at dark humour only made me more impatient. “Anyway, your friends Sans and Undyne caught two shooters in the crowd and they're in police custody now.”

“And what of our injuries? All of us?”

She cleared her throat and focused onto her clipboard in hand. “To start off, you had a good amount of internal bleeding, you had to be kept under for... 32 hours now. You also have two broken ribs, with a lot of bruising around. Finally, there was damage to a lung, but it was remedied without too much trouble. The shooter must have been too far away to deal serious damage.”

She paused and took a sip of the coffee she had with her before continuing, speeding up the pace a bit noticing my anxiety. “Mr Dreemurr, your father rather, was best off. He was the last to be shot at, and just has some stitching in his arm thanks to his quick reaction. Your mother was hit in the side, but all her vital organs were missed, we just had to deal with bleeding. Now, Frisk...”

My head was in my hands in both frustration and disbelief. “Just tell me, don't sugarcoat it.”

“Punctured lung, lots of internal bleeding and two fractured vertebrae.” Okay, maybe I should have let her sugarcoat it. “It'll take about two months to recover, but she should be fine.”

“Can I go see them?” I asked without raising my head.

The doctor sighed loudly before responding. “Yes, just be very careful to put no pressure on your left side. Try to switch between standing and sitting as little as possible as well.” The doctor, who shortly introduced herself properly as Dr. Mears, got my left arm into a sling and directed me out of the room. “Left up the hall, first door is your parents, second is Frisk. I'll be around here if you need me.”

I felt very uneasy, but progressed as quickly as I could to my parents' room. When I entered, they both smiled warmly and beckoned me over. Before any words were exchanged, a group hug came first. “Are you both alright?” I asked through stifled tears.

Asgore gave a hearty embrace. It still hurt my shoulder a bit, but it didn't matter to me right now. “Yes, we're both fine.”

“Though,” Toriel added semi-seriously, “it would be nice if I still had my healing magic, huh?” Whatever these two wanted to do to cope was fine by me, even if it was by joking. They'd be fine, I knew.

“Son,” Asgore continued, “We are okay, but I know someone who needs support much more than we do right now.”

“I know, Dad. I'm on my way.” I told them I would come back soon, but that probably wasn't the case. _Fractured vertebrae_ , I though to myself. _How severe? Mears said she'd be fine, but is that fully true?_

As I walked into the room, Frisk immediately adressed me. “Asriel...?” she called out.

“I'm here,” I responded as I strode across the room to her. She looked pale, even more than those years ago, the last time we were here. I held her hand tightly as I reassured her. “I'm here, don't worry.”

“Asriel... I'm scared.” She was crying already, not lightly either. Something I couldn't and can't remember her ever doing to that day.

“The conference is behind us. You're safe now, we all are.” I misunderstood.

“It's not the attack. I... I can't feel my legs, Asriel.” It was mortifying to hear, even if I thought it was possible just before. She was paralyzed from the waist down. I no longer knew if she would be able to recover. If she learned to walk again, it would never be the same.

“It's okay, don't worry. Dr Mears said you would be fine, and I will take her word. You'll get through this, and I'll be here every step of the way.” I kissed her forehead while she fell slowly back into sleep, still lacking a lot of energy.

_I don't know what to do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is getting way more support than I expected, and I thank you all greatly for it. That said, I would also love some criticism! Let's face it, I'm a highly self-critical person, and I will be able to pick out some of my shortcomings while writing so that they aren't published, but I feel there are always areas to improve, so if you have any advice (maybe you saw typos, maybe you aren't comfortable with my descriptive writing, etc) go ahead and leave it below!
> 
> So, got dark there, huh? Yeah, this ain't the end. Things are gonna get real depressing every now and then (and I mean more than this) so brace your feels.


	5. Last Reset (The Dreemurrs Pt 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking place a few months after Aftermath, where things haven't got much better. Not necessarily in this part or story set (The Dreemurrs), but soon we may have some more discussion about depression, as well as abuse, so giving fair warning from now.

“so then, mr ambassador, what's this all about?” He still had that same irritating grin, but by the tone in his voice I could tell that this was one of the rare times Sans was ready to talk seriously. Our relationship on the surface got off to a predictably rocky start, but eventually we grew to become friends, of some description.

I couldn't help but sigh before I started. “... I want to know, what's wrong with Frisk?”

“you're kiddin', right? you should know better than the rest of us how she's comin' along.” He sounded genuine, but in his face it seemed that he knew that wasn't what I meant. Or at least, that wasn't the whole problem.

“That's just it, Sans, she's... she's not coming along.” I was starting to get frustrated on the inside, but tried to keep it at bay for the time being. “It's been months and there's hardly been any progress. So, what I want to know is... why hasn't she reset yet? Can't she do it again, and try and fix this problem, like she did in the Underground?”

Finally his grin started to fade. “she told you about the resets, but... you still don't know?”

“Know what? Tell me, please.”

Sans now seemed exasperated, as if he never wanted to tell me this news, but it was something I should have found out sooner or later anyway. “... it took her many tries to finally save you. in the end, alphys made an artificial soul fueled by some of frisk's determination.”

“I know that much, Sans, just get to the point.” My agitation was now showing again, I couldn't be bothered to hide it anymore.

“well... the determination from the six fallen humans that caused the amalgamates, they were missing compounds made by a living soul, so we had to use frisk's. during the transfer process, though, something went wrong...” He paused for a moment to see my expression, but I didn't interrupt. “the machine we were using malfunctioned, and while your soul formed successfully, frisk's was... damaged.”

“Damaged? What do you mean?” My annoyance had transformed into a mixture of intrigue and concern.

“a part of her soul was destroyed. it had a lasting effect, physically and mentally. she often feels sharp pains in her chest, and when she experiences a lot of... trauma like this, it's hard to bounce back.”

“... The damaged soul is why she can't reset?”

“sorta; she still has just enough power to reset, but if she does, your... flowey's determination will outweigh hers, and he'll regain control of the timelines. this is the last reset.”

All of this was a lot to take in. It was difficult not to immediately blame myself – and in more than one way, I could – but also it was difficult to even believe Sans' words. “... Why didn't she ever tell me?”

Sans took a bit longer to find a response now. “'dunno for sure. she probably just didn't want you to worry, you know how she is. she only told me because of my knowledge of the timelines.”

I couldn't argue. No, rather, I knew Sans was most likely right about it. It wouldn't have been the first time Frisk hid something to 'protect' me. Sometimes I'd find out on my own, and I'd want so desperately to help her through it, but she'd always refuse or downplay it all.

“Oh, hey Sans.” We both turned with a bit of a start to see Frisk wheeling into the room. It was painful to see her like this, but at least she seemed more chipper today than most. “I didn't expect to see you today, what's up?”

“oh, nothin' much,” Sans replied, trying to play off the situation discreetly. “us two were just havin' a friendly chat. how are you doin'?”

Frisk noticeably hesitated, but neither of us adressed it. “Always getting better. I don't feel so weak anymore at least.”

“alright, well i'll leave you two be for now. see ya around.” Before either of us could respond, he was already gone, though it was like we didn't even see him leave. I turned my attention back to Frisk, who now seemed more dejected than when she entered the room.

“Morning, Frisk,” I said in as soft a voice as I could muster, kneeling in front of her. “Everything okay? Do you need anything?”

“... Sans... he told you, didn't he.”

“... Yeah.” No sense in hiding it now. “He told me.”

“Asriel, I... I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to worry, or to think-”

“Shhh.” I hugged her carefully, and after a few seconds she returned it. “I understand. But next time something is bothering you, please, just tell me, okay? I want to help.” A faint hum seemed to indicate 'yes'. “We can talk about it later, but right now, how are you... really?”

She released herself from the embrace but I left my hand on hers as some kind of comfort. “I don't know. I'm improving, but it's slow, and it's been getting slower over time. I think... I might not fully recover.”

“As long as you're still improving, we can keep hope. But whatever happens, just remember I'm here for you, all your friends are too.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks.” Her face brightened a bit again as her mood shifted. “Well, I need some fresh air, you want to head to the park?”

“Are you sure you're feeling okay enough to go out?” She nodded defiantly. Whether the honest answer was yes or no, she was going to the park whether I liked it or not. It was nice to start seeing a bit of the old Frisk again.“Heh, okay, well when you're ready let's get you dressed and then we can head right out.”

The park was not too far from the apartment we were staying at, so it didn't take too long to get there. At first Frisk insisted on wheeling herself all the way, but she eventually allowed me to push her wheelchair, more for my sake than hers. Once there, we stayed in light conversation for a while.

“Hey Frisk, I always meant to ask you, why do you normally keep your eyes closed, or at least close to closed? And you never open your right eye either.”

“Hm... well, I haven't told anyone else this, but I have heterochromia.” She looked up at me to see the confusion on my face, giggling a little before continuing. “It means my eyes are two different colours. I don't want to get too much into it, but basically, people thought it looked... weird, so eventually I started hiding it.”

“... May I see? If you're comfortable showing me, that is.” I worried she would be offended by the request immediately as I made it, but she smiled at my apparent discomfort and then opened both of her eyes wide. Her left eye was light brown as normal, and her right was a deep, entrancing purple. I found myself staring into her eyes longer than expected, and she closed them again before turning her head to the side, looking a bit embarrassed, or ashamed? “I'm sorry, it's not like that, it's just... you look beautiful...”

We were both a bit red, but at least Frisk started smiling again. She had been very secluded and depressed for the months prior, and aside from small resurgences, this was the first time I felt she was herself again, or at least somewhat. It was still uncertain if she would heal physically, but I was sure that if it came down to it, she would soon accept it as it is. And I would be there to help her every step of the way.

It was time. I still needed to figure out all the details, but I knew, now was the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Frisk is still disabled. Yeah, she's going through some stuff, but the next part at least will be (mostly) happy. Maybe.
> 
> Speaking of next part, I decided to extend The Dreemurrs into 4 parts rather than 3; I wanted some more space to get a little grasp of Frisk and company's mental state after all that's been going on, and there will be a bit more expansion on that in the next part. The conclusion is something I really don't want to rush, so I felt this was a reasonable solution (I'd prefer the parts stay around the 1000-1500 word range for now, but it can vary to some degree). This partially accounts for the delayed update, as I restarted writing these parts from scratch after realising the constraints.
> 
> As always, I invite any feedback or criticisms you may have, anything that will help these stories become better and more enjoyable for you guys! And feel free to make any suggestions, predictions or what have you. Who knows, maybe you'll see it in a future update?


	6. Will You (The Dreemurrs Pt 4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place a month or so after Last Reset.

I don't know what I was feeling during this time. Depression? Regret? Spite, even? I couldn't peg any of my emotions most of the time, my mood aimlessly meandering on the edge of dark thoughts. I struggled with them for a few months after the incident, and the scars revealed that sometimes my thoughts won out, but now it seemed almost like a daily routine. Are you gonna do it today? No, brain, now shut up and let me do my thing. The only feeling I could properly identify was frustration.

The Dreemurrs were pretty much the only things keeping me going. Often they could lighten up my mood a bit, be it with terribly insensitive, sometimes offensive jokes – I had no idea Toriel could be so crude, but I liked this side of her – or maybe simply relaxing with Asgore with a cup of tea. Credit to Sans as well, who visited often to check up on us. Everyone really showed a lot of support, and I was very grateful.

But, at the same time, I didn't feel much different. I still had the dark thoughts, I still had the nightmares and the tremors and the panic attacks. I would sometimes even lose it just being too frustrated trying to change my shirt. There was, however, one person that really did make a difference in my mood. 

Asriel. This whole thing changed everyone, nobody really knew how to cope. Except, it seemed, for Asriel. I can't say for sure what he must have been feeling on the inside, but he kept it well guarded while never seeming to falter. He was always there for me. Even when I was depressed or angry or anything else that didn't deserve me his company, he'd stay anyway. He'd been a punching bag more often than I would like to admit, and he did so with a smile.

Today, however, was something new, he made dinner plans. Thinking about it now, it was one of only a few times we ever went out alone, so maybe that's why I was confused. Anxious. For the first time in a while, a little excited. “How about this one?” he pondered aloud, waking me from my thoughts. He was looking through my closet, helping me to decide on what to wear, and came across a purple dress. It had already been about 20 minutes since he started, but he didn't seem any less patient.

“That's fine, I think-”

“Wait, hang on. I think we have a real winner here...” he interjected, pulling out a dress I didn't even know was in there. It was a soft shade of blue, with lavender accents and an intricate red rose on the left side of the chest. I assumed Toriel must have had some hand in procuring it, but to this day I still can't say for sure.

I looked at the dress, hearkening back to my exploits in the Underground, and briefly thought about the many times I went through those trials to reach here now. “Yeah, this one's good,” I respond after a longer pause than intended. Asriel carefully helped me change, as he had done a few times prior to this. At first it was awkward, but it soon became commonplace.

“Alrighty, Frisk,” he said once I had finished changing, “now there's one last thing. I'd like you to close your eyes.” It was a bit weird to hear this command, considering often my eyes would be closed anyway, but I was getting more comfortable with opening them over time, so it was pretty regular for my eyes to be open around Asriel.

“I get that you want it to be a surprise, but you want me to keep my eyes closed all the way there?”

“Just trust me on this. We'll be there in no time.” Whether he knew he was doing it or not, Asriel's eyes widened ever so slightly forming what can only be described as a puppy-dog face. And how could I say no to it.

“OK, fine, but if I get motion sickness I'm gonna turn and barf on you, just so you know.”

“Duly noted,” he responded with a smirk. Once my eyes were closed, I heard a few soft footsteps, and felt a light pressure on my chair, one I assumed was Asriel. I heard him clap his hands once, and after a few moments he told me to open my eyes again. Rather unexpectedly, I found myself sitting at a table with Asriel across from me.

As I looked around to regain my bearings, I noticed that this establishment was rather high brow. I supposed that much could be expected of the Prince of Monsters. “How did we get here? It didn't feel like we even moved...”

“Let's just say... I knew a shortcut.” Did he mean Sans? Well, apparently Sans could teleport then. I guess that explained how he got around so quickly. I had my suspicions, but it was different to actually experience it first-hand.

We spent quite a long time at that restaurant, sometimes picking away at our food but mostly talking and ignoring the meal, which we both agreed was lackluster anyway. We shared a lot of laughs that night, but it was also nice to just have time to ourselves, whatever the conversation topic. After we had finished our desserts – which was the only redeeming element of the meal – we stayed with a bottle of wine for a good half an hour longer, soaking in the atmosphere and each other's undivided attention.

It was well into the night when the conversation eventually died down, and it seemed like we would leave soon. The bill was already prepaid – rare option for a restaurant like that – so we didn't have to worry about that as Asriel wheeled me outside. “Now, I know it's getting pretty late, but there is one last thing I had planned tonight,” he boasted.

“Ooh, dinner wasn't enough, Casanova?” He did well to try and hide it, but fragments of blushing came through despite his best efforts.

“Har har, very funny. But seriously, it's just a quick stop and we'll head home, OK?”

“I assume you want me to close my eyes again?”

They were already closed before he responded, “you know it.” I once again felt the faint sensation that I was in a different location, but I wasn't sure where. The air was cooler, with a bit more breeze, and there was less light passing through my eyelids. A faint echo of the wind could be heard behind me. “Alright, you can open your eyes now.”

The view that met me was a surprise I did not expect. We stood on a cliff, overlooking the entire Ebbott region. The lights of the city below were dwarfed by the beauty of the stars which we rarely saw with such clarity. I then turned my attention to the echo behind me, and there it was. The exit to the Underground. It had been so long that the view was unfamiliar to me, but once I realised where we were, all the memories came rushing back. “Wow... it really has been a long time, hasn't it?”

“It really has. It's only been about 8 years but it already feels like 30.”

“Maybe that's because you have grey hair all over.” My comment was enough to elicit a short but genuine laugh.

“In all seriousness, though, there's a reason I brought you up here.” When I turned to him, he was shaking slightly in anxiety, but still had a face of absolute resolve I'd rarely seen him wear. “I wanted to get you something... a special gift.”

“Oh?” I was confused and intrigued. It wasn't my birthday, not Christmas, not even Surface Day. I couldn't think what this was commemorating.

“Yeah, and I had a hard time picking a day to do this, but today seemed right. Many years ago today... monsters were trapped in the Underground. Ties with humanity had ceased. But then 8 human children, one by one, changed the course of history, and here we are on the surface again. I guess... think of this as a sort of... a thank you? I... I spent weeks looking for just the right one, but none of them were quite right, so Mom helped me make this one.” He fumbled around in his pocket for a moment before pulling out a small velvet box. He nearly dropped it with how much he was now trembling.

“I... I don't know how else to... put this, so I'll just be blunt.” Before I could even parse what was going on, he was down on one knee. As if all his nerves left at that moment, he spoke clearly and softly. “Frisk, will you marry me?”

I couldn't even form a verbal response. I willed myself out of my chair and fell into Asriel's arms. There was no exchange of words, only a teary embrace which lasted a lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really unfortunate that I had this break during a multi-parter. My writing style has changed so much more than I expected, and this part I don't feel meshes with the rest as well as I'd like. Hopefully I get back into the swing of things as we continue, we'll see.
> 
> We're (momentarily) doing away with the angst! The reprieve probably won't last long. "But Uncle Kiry," I hear you asking, "why can't you let Frisk and Asriel just be happy for a bit?" And the answer to that is that I'm an angry and vengeful author who feeds on my characters' manifest suffering. That and angst is really what I'm best at.
> 
> This part at 1527 words also earns the spot as the longest chapter. Funny, because it also took the longest to write (by miles).
> 
> And finally, Hurricane Matthew is indeed afraid of us. As of a couple of hours ago, the hurricane warning here in Jamaica was reduced to a tropical storm warning, with at maximum Category 1 winds. I might not lose power at all, so that's nice.
> 
> EDIT: Thank you everyone for 800 hits! Never when I started this did I think it would get so far, and it's part of what motivates me to press on. Chapters aren't gonna be as fast as they were, but I hope I can still post with some regularity for you guys.


	7. Overcome (Sleepless Final Part)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place about two months after Will You.  
> More about my return at the end notes.

It had been a few hours now, maybe five or six based on the fading daylight. When I first heard the news, I was happy and excited in a way, but… I was also hesitant. Scared, even. I hadn’t gone to see them yet, and I thought for a moment that it wouldn’t happen today at all.

Our past was a storied one if anything. They were the best friend I ever had, and I still believed that now. And even though things had gone wrong, even though so much grief came of what we did… they were still my best friend. So… why was I still so apprehensive to meet them again? I finally decided I would start my walk to the hospital, mulling over whatever I needed to address as I went.

The details were few and far between. Frisk didn’t divulge much about how she managed to bring them back, only enough for Alphys and Dr. Bikkazakova to get them stable and to understand their apparent aging. It only added to my confusion. My thoughts drifted to the memories of Frisk’s nightmares, which became more than just nightmares. After all that, she still sought out a way to save them, somehow without anybody’s knowledge.

And I almost wished I knew so that I could refuse.

I still loved them dearly, and I wouldn’t have traded away a second with them when they first fell. But, something in me… wasn’t even unhappy with them. Wasn’t angry at them. A part of me, as I walked, hated them. There was no other descriptor strong enough for what I felt. And I hated that I felt that way.

I had no right to feel that way. It was their plan, but? I still willingly carried it out. I was never dragged into anything I didn’t already know I was getting myself into. My time as Flowey was not their fault either. Sure, they weren’t innocent. But in this storybook my life apparently was, nobody else was either, myself least of all. But somehow, we all still got a happy ending. I wanted them to have theirs too.

I took a deep breath as my thoughts were abruptly halted by my arrival at the hospital. I had visited this place far too often, and I couldn’t help but think of the other times I’d been here. It took me a little while to get through reception and the directions I was given weren’t entirely clear, but luckily I ran into Dr. Mears who herself was on her way to the same room.

“Ah, Mr. Ambassador! I was here wondering if you’d ever show up. I’m guessing you need help finding your way?”

“Heh, observant as always, Doc.” We walked as we continued lightly conversing until we finally reached the room marked ‘ECR-1’. The doctor opened the door without knocking and led me in.

“Gross, dude, that’s my brother!” I heard them joke to Frisk before they paused proceedings to address the new entrants.

“Speak of the devil,” Frisk half-whispered.

They stared at me for a few seconds, nobody in the room wanting to break the newfound silence. Whatever conflicting thoughts I had in my head were shrouded in an instant. I slowly stepped closer, their red eyes locked with my own. “Is… this real?”

They laughed shortly before wiping a tear from their eye. They smiled at me with a warmth I’d not seen before or since from anyone, even from Frisk. “Heh, I’ve been asking the same thing all day.” It was hardly any longer before we were tight in an embrace, tears mixing and dampening the pillow of their bed. “I’m so sorry, Ree.”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything. I’m just so happy to see you again.”

I was normally the one Dr. Mears would be briefing here, but this time around she didn't bother addressing me, knowing I wouldn't retain any of it anyway. I spent hours and hours sitting on the side of that bed, reminiscing with Chara about our time growing up, and learning about how they helped Frisk on her journey. We went well into the night, and everyone had already gone home save for Sans who was waiting outside. We slowly started to catch up to post-Surface events, though most of Chara's contributions to the conversation at this point were either making fun of me, making fun of Frisk, or rolling their eyes at the two of us, apparently like many times prior.

“I mean, god damn, you two were so close so many times, and you just missed the cues! Gosh, even in death I wanted to die sometimes, you especially were hopeless.” despite not hearing it for unfathomable lengths of time, I was still very familiar with their dry, scathing wit.

“Alright, alright, everything worked out in the end didn't it?” Of course I still couldn't help getting embarrased, knowing that they knew every detail – and every failure – because they had front-row seats.

And speaking of those front-row seats, “By the way, Ree – well first of all, that morning on the porch... I have no idea how you of all people mustered the courage to do that, but nice. Nice. But yeah, I'm super ok with not being part of Frisk anymore because, like, good for you and all, but that was the most harrowing experience of my life.”

I could hardly even think of a response, beginning to stammer one out and hoping I could complete it as I thought. “I mean... I couldn't have known... I didn't know how-”

“Of my life. And you know, every time after that, obviously. New worst moment ever.” I could imagine how uncomfortable an experience that would be, but thankfully they didn't really seem too troubled by it when they failed to hold in their laughter for much longer.

I mock rolled my eyes at them. “Why are you my best friend again?”

“Uh, because I'm the most awesome person you'll ever meet? Do you need that told to you?” Yeah, they'd normally have some comeback like that.

“Mhm, that's fair, that's fair. You are a lot different now, though.”

“It's been like a million years or something, I don't know, I'm old. It's not like you haven't had your fair share of changes, Mr I'll-have-a-beard-like-dad's.”

And we continued this back and forth until the both of us just fell asleep there. Sans had been waiting to get me home, but once he looked in in the wee hours of the morning he decided not to bother. I mean, Chara was right, it was like a million years since we'd last seen each other – okay, since I'd last seen them, and it was more like a hundred years – so I appreciated later on being left to our own devices.

As the days went by, Chara continued to recover in hospital while we all visited regularly. My mom and dad didn't visit that often, taking a bit longer to get acquainted with the idea of them being back, which they understood. It wasn't me, but actually Frisk who would visit the most often, with the two sharing a unique bond now that would likely never fade.

When I did visit, typically it would be me alone, or sometimes with Frisk. Chara mostly wanted to get up to speed with what I was doing, saying, “The only stories I have for you that you haven't heard are Frisk's to tell.” They seemed at first annoyed by my role as Ambassador, but as they learned more in detail about the progress made, they started to seem interested, at least on an academic level.

But of course, Chara was still Chara, and seeking to embarrass me seemed to still be top of their list of priorities for now. “So, uh, when's the wedding, bud? 'Cause, like, let me tell you, you're gonna have a wild honeymoon, know what I'm sayin'?”

“Bloody hell, Chara!” There were oh so many deepening shades of red washing over me just from two sentences. I was just happy that on this particular occasion, nobody else was around to hear them. That's just... incredibly awkward, the implications, but I supposed there was nothing that could be done about it and let it pass.

Meanwhile they continued to laugh themself to tears at my expense. “Alright, alright, I'll let up on you a bit.” They had to take a few moments to catch their breath even. “Anyway, seriously, when is the wedding? I seem to recall you proposing, right?”

“Well, we haven't worked it out yet. I need to talk about it with Frisk, but I had a date in mind.”

“... And, you're gonna say that and not tell me what that date is?”

“... Yep.”

Chara rolled their eyes. “Alright, but try not to make it as sappy and long-winded a reason as the proposal, alri- Actually, no, just don't say a reason, please, just say 'it's gonna be X date because reasons', please.”

I couldn't help but laugh. “Alright, I'll try to keep the long-winded-ness to a mininum.”

“And the sappiness?”

“Um, you're talking to Asriel, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, ya dork.”

Later that night, just when I was starting to fall asleep, my phone started vibrating on the bedside table. “Ugh, it's like eleven, why...” I sat up and read the name, 'Mikhail B', because obviously I wasn't going to try to spell that last name. It was odd to me, because I had only ever talked to him a handful of times before, and he had never been the one to call me for anything. “Hey, Doc B, what's up?” I said, as clearly as I could in my drowsy state.

“ _Well, something interesting is up for sure. Well, actually, first of all I have some news. Chara's checks and scans are all done and clean, so they're clear for discharge any time.”_ That was some news alright. I felt it was pretty certain they'd be living with us, even if it might take a bit of time to get used to. Not that I was opposed to it anyway.

“That's great to hear, Doc. I'll let everyone know first thing in the morning. Anything more?” I didn't think he would call me just for that, even if he thought I was the best person to contact regarding Chara.

“ _Yeah, there is something, but I can't give it to you as news yet. We're still running a ton of tests, but based on some of the results from Chara's scans, we have a theory as to what's been happening with Frisk's soul. Oh, wait, has someone covered that with you yet?”_

“Yeah, Sans gave me a rundown some time ago. Alright, well, that's great news, please keep me posted on what you find. And thanks for calling, I think about that you should probably talk with Sans as well.”

“ _I planned on it, but I wanted to contact you first, given your relations- Oh, congratulations, by the way! I can't believe I forgot to call you about your engagement, my apologies.”_

“Ah, heh, thanks, we're really excited. Uh, but not to be rude or anything, but how'd you know about that? It isn't supposed to be publicly known yet.”

He let out an audible gasp. He was always a bit over the top in the times I'd spoken with him. _“My goodness, I'm terribly sorry, Chara had mentioned it to me a couple of days ago. I understand if it's supposed to be under wraps for now, though. My lips are sealed, and I'll be sure to ask Chara to do the same.”_

“Thank you Doc, and I guess it's alright, no harm done. Remember to call me on that theory whenever you get anything.”

“ _Of course. Goodnight, Mr. Ambassador.”_

“Night,” I concluded before hanging up. Well, that was a bit of a scare but thankfully it was just Chara and not some tabloid or the like. At that time, I felt more at peace with the world than I had in quite a long time. Everything seemed to be looking up, and it was a strange kind of refreshing to think that the biggest worry I had all day was somebody congratulating me on my engagement. It felt nice for things to just go smoothly for a while, and that feeling helped carry me into a deep and restful sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I returned. Bizarre I'm sure for some why I disappeared, and I deeply regret doing so. My life for the duration of this year has gone through some major overhauls and tons of ups and downs, and I've just been so constantly busy keeping up with things. Times are a bit calmer now, I've got back into more of a rhythm with my cycling and triathlon, with a solid goal to point towards in the short term, and right now that's been my anchor to kind of get a clear head again. I haven't been sick in a few months now, which is incredible for me, especially going through September and October with no troubles, so it feels like things are starting to stabilize again.
> 
> I wanted to come back to this story the whole time, but could never find the motivation nor the mental capacity to continue writing, so I tried not to pressure myself over it. And I'll be honest, I may have been able to post this chapter at least a month earlier than now, but I didn't want to rush back into it and burn out again. I cannot promise any kind of update schedule from this point forward. There might be a period where I post 3 parts in a week, there might be a period where I don't post anything for 3 months. I can't and won't try to guarantee consistency right now, because even though I do have motivation to finish this story, I know that right now and in the near future, my available time and energy is going to be volatile and unpredictable.
> 
> I still hope my writings can reach anyone after my long absence, and even if just one more person read, I would be happy to share and attempt to entertain and inspire. I thank you to all who have read and supported this series so far, and I hope that we can see it through together, to the end.
> 
> \- Kiry
> 
> Alright, cool, sappy message out of the way, Uncle Kiry here to give you the typical post-part chat. This part was a grand total of 2107 words - the longest so far in the series - and actually, interestingly enough, this is with a considerable amount of the original content removed and edited. There's a bunch of stuff regarding Chara and the whole situation in Sleepless that I wasn't happy with revealing quite yet, A) because I felt it was too fast, B) because it was maybe too complex a conundrum to tackle my first time back, and C) because I like to tease, to whet the appetite but not roll out the main course too fast. So trust me when I say this: Things might be confusing or suspect now, but don't worry, answers will come.
> 
> Speaking of Sleepless, the one that started it all, I read it back again and man there are a lot of mistakes in there. At some point I might go back through the series and try fix all the spelling, grammar and lexical errors (don't be surprised if I don't get around to it for a while tho).
> 
> Anywho, I'm sorry for the time away but so happy to be back, I hope to hear from you soon. Like criticisms, which I as a writer adore more than praise, but anyway, you know that song and dance already.


	8. Chasing Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though life seemed to be getting into a sort of regularity, there were still some sparks littered between.
> 
> Takes place some non-specific time between Overcome and The First Ceremony (not yet released...)

_BOOM!_

The sound was loud and close enough to set off some of the car alarms outside, and unsurprisingly the power went out. This thunderstorm was supposed to pass to the north of Ebbott, but apparently the weather forecasters had got it wrong again. I cursed under my breath as I went stumbling out of my room, running into Asriel on the way out of my door. Not that I could even see him before we both found ourselves on the floor in the hallway. “F- Frisk?” He uttered. I could almost feel the warmth from his cheeks as he started to blush, but it wasn't long before he just started laughing. I was still on top of him, and normally I would have moved by now, but I was held in place by a number of things. His laugh, which was jolly and youthful. His face, which somehow entranced me even more in the minimal light we had. Those things, and the fact that he was actually hugging me, holding me in place. “If this is a setup for a bad 'falling for you' pun, you really need to step up your game.”

Finally I recollected my thoughts and answered. “I wouldn't dare try. You're too quick to _catch_ those things.”

“Oh, good save, good save.” He quickly pecked me on the cheek before continuing. “I guess the power is gonna be out for a while, huh?”

_BOOM!_

“... Does that answer your question?” I offered sarcastically.

“Alright, guess it does. You alright, though? I'm kinda surprised you're not already asleep, normally you pass out in this kind of weather.”

It was a fair question, but for once I could truthfully say that things were fine, and he could tell. “I guess I just haven't been able to sleep – which I guess isn't a good thing in itself – but it happens every now and then.”

“And I suppose you already know I'm always awake around these times.”

I gave him a half-knowing, half-worried smile. I was aware that he had a pretty bad insomnia problem, but he insisted that he didn't need help with it, and he never seemed to be lacking energy from it, so eventually we just learned to accept it. It had just occurred to me, though. If the two of us were awake, “Where's everyone else?”

“Well... Chara's probably still asleep – they always slept like a rock. Mom and Dad are at Undyne and Alphys' place helping with some leaks I think, and they'll probably stay there for the night with the rain going like it is. So that just leaves us I guess.” Asriel helped me back to my feet, but quickly caught me again when I started to wobble. “Woah there! You alright? Should I get your cane?”

Ah yes, the cane. I honestly hated that thing more than the wheelchair. While both felt demeaning to me, at least in the chair I could spend the whole day sitting. Of course, he always insisted that it was only a good thing, a sign of progress. A sign of progress which I wouldn't hold right now. “No, thanks, it's fine,” I assured him. I assured myself that I was just going downstairs, that wouldn't be too much of a problem. Of course, eventually – about a quarter of the way down, basically hanging on the banister – I gave in. “Alright, I give up. I'm still not ready for this whole 'walking' nonsense yet.”

Asriel let out a whisper of a laugh, and at this point I expected to hear footsteps towards my room to get the cane. Instead, I heard a set of quick steps towards _me_ , and faster than I could utter another word I was being picked up and carried the rest of the way down. “You really should take up Undyne on that training offer,” he said nonchalantly through my confusion, “let her rebuild those leg muscles for ya.”

Yes, I had also objected to that before, though not for any real reason, mostly just because I was lazy. Of course, it wouldn't help to say that, so I quickly decided I'd have a little fun with the situation. “But Azzy sweetheart, why would I if I have you to carry me?”

But alas, it was like water off a duck's back, he hardly seemed fazed. “You know, I always thought your flirting reminded me of Chara, it's funny now to know to what extent it really is from them.”

“Aw, come on Az!” He sat us down on the couch in the living room, me on his lap. “How am I supposed to fluster you in public if you don't react to flirting anymore? You want me to start blurting out lewd obscenities or something?”

He could only laugh. He seemed to be in a very 'laughing' mood. “I don't get why embarrassing me is such a-”

_BOOM!_

“Wow... that one was loud, my ears!”

“Real loud,” he said before pausing for a moment. “Loud, and close. Hey, let's go on the porch a bit.”

“The porch? Did you hit your head or something? I know it's shielded from the rain but it's still freezing outside!”

“Ah, yeah, you humans and your 'temperature'.” Wait, what? What did that mean? Did monsters never feel hot or cold? I'd have to ask him about that later – though I wouldn't even know how to describe temperature to someone who hasn't experienced it – as he continued. “Anyway, I have something to show you, but it can only be done in these conditions right now, so it's up to you if you want to see it.”

I was suspicious, but I couldn't help my curiosity. It had better have been worth going out in fifteen-degree weather, or Asriel might not have seen the next day. “Alright, I want to see.” He led me out the front door and I promptly asked him to explain himself. In fairness, I didn't feel nearly as cold as I thought I would, but it was still cold enough to make me question my life choices.

“Alright, alright. Well, you know how most of the monsters lost their magic on the surface, right?”

“Yeah... well, except for a few that I know of, like Sans. Where are you going with this?”

“Well... I can't do fire magic anymore, which is what my family used to do. But, for whatever reason, it seems like I retained something, like Sans... something I didn't know about yet.” He started walking out into the rain, and as I started to call him back he stopped me. “It's alright, all part of the show. Uh, you might want to cover your ears by the way.”

What was he about to do? I watched Asriel walk out into the middle of the road, completely drenched at this point. The wind was starting to whip up now, and it made him a little unsteady for a moment, but he quickly found solid footing again. He then pointed his hand straight up, and waited. And waited. And waited. It was a good thing he apparently couldn't feel cold, because he stood out there for a good thirty seconds with nothing happening. At the same time, he didn't look worried that something wasn't working. It seemed to be all normal to him.

And then I saw it. A very faint glow emanated from his hand. He closed his eyes and drew three sharp breaths. Finally, the moment of truth. As though he was grabbing a rope and yanking on it, he pulled his arm, and whole body, down with force. And in that instant...

_BOOM!_

I just saw that. I just saw him stand out there and... explode? The flash was so bright and disorienting that I had trouble making anything out for a few moments. “Asriel!?” I desperately hoped that was what was supposed to happen. Was he just struck by lightning?

As my vision started to clear, I heard him directly in front of me. “Yoo-hoo.” He was... fine? Completely unaffected? Well, no, the first thing I saw was his horns. A steady stream of electricity flowed between them like some machine out of science fiction. His fur was all standing partially on end, and he was completely dry.

“... How... how did you...”

“Hold that thought, I'm not quite done yet.” Asriel walked back out to the same spot again, this time somehow remaining dry, as though the water evaporated as it landed on him. Sure enough, he started to let off steam. He performed no movements this time, but stood with his head low. I could feel static in the air as my hair started to part. There was another flash, but this one was not as bright, enough so that I could see it in detail. An intricate three-dimensional lattice of blue light surrounded him in a wide radius, around three times his height. The flash was in an instant replaced by a cloud of steam, and you could see the second where water momentarily stopped hitting the ground around him.

I knew this was probably only a simple demonstration of what he could potentially do, but it was totally incredible to me. I found at the time that it was near impossible to do it justice describing it to someone, it really was one of those things you had to see in person. As he did a mock bow and sauntered back to the house, getting soaked once again, I stood in awe. “Well, whatcha think?” he asked.

“What do I think? That was amazing! I... I can't even...” I gave up on talking for a moment and just hugged him – despite his objections about being wet – with more energy than I'd had in a long time. “You really expect me to be able to respond to that with words? I mean... how did you even learn you could do that?”

“Ah, yeah, funny thing about that, I actually found out... by accident.” He spoke in a tone of someone caught in a lie, or in Asriel's case, caught in something he wasn't going to bring up if he wasn't asked. “There was a day some months ago, I had gone out for a walk to clear my head, and it was pretty cloudy. I got to that big open area near the park, and... I got struck by lightning.”

“What!?”

“It's fine, I wasn't hurt. Mostly- _anyways_ , by the time I was getting home I ran into Alphys, who saw the electricity between my horns.”

“So I guess, she taught you how to do this?” Alphys was the only other user of electric magic I knew.

“Well, no, her magic was different. She could use it whenever, mine needs a source. She helped me understand it a little better, but that trick, that's my own.”

“Wow...” He was something alright. I maybe wanted to hear more – I was so intrigued by this new part of him, something that he would still be learning about at the same time – but the large shudder I experienced reminded me that it was fifteen degrees and we were outside. He seemed to realize at the same time and helped me back inside. He helped me back to the couch and kissed my forehead before going to a linen box in the corner to look for a blanket or towel.

“Really?” I heard called from the stairs. We both glanced over to see Chara on their way down. “I hear lightning, like right next to the house, so loud it wakes me up. I come downstairs and find you two were outside? I mean there are plenty of empty rooms right now, just pick one.”

I wasn't sure if Chara knew about Asriel's newfound ability, but from his non-response I figured that they didn't, or at least he hadn't told them yet, so I didn't try to defend the implied accusation. “Hey again, Chara. Slept well?”

“I don't usually equate 3 hours to 'well', but I was told I should be sleeping normally again soon.”

“Seems like all of us have sleep problems,” Asriel chimed in, now finally finding a suitably thick blanket to drape over me. I already felt myself starting to drift closer to sleep.

“You can sleep if you're tired, Frisk. Don't let that weirdo keep you up all night.”

“Alright, alright, no need for the salt. Not like we're the ones that woke you up.” What a liar.

“I know bro, I just aim to tease you two any chance I get.”

A sneaky look entered Asriel's eyes. “And how rude of you. I've never said _anything_ about you and MK.”

My eyes were actually closing but my ears perked up. Chara and who now? When did this happen? By the hesitation they had, I guessed that Asriel wasn't making it up on nothing. As they started arguing and coming up with excuses, I decided that I had enough excitement to satisfy me for one day and I'd have to find out about this tomorrow. I felt Asriel's hand in mine and held it as I fell asleep, still with Chara's noise in the background and the static on my fingertips.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2246 words. Can somebody go ask past me to explain to present me why I wrote 2246 words of this? Honestly I'm not sure how well this works, and I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments. But I went ahead and released it anyway, because sometimes we need just good things happening. I mean, there's plenty more bad stuff in the pipeline, so may as well give the kiddos a bit of a breather :)


End file.
